1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of insect pest control and provides a weather-tolerant, high volume, continuous feed liquid ant bait delivery platform to eliminate various insect or pest species and their colonies.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are currently two ant species that are increasingly causing significant agricultural damage, as well as personal injury, and in some well-documented cases, death to humans and animals.
The imported fire ant (solenopsis invieta) from South America is believed to have entered the United States through the seaport of Mobile, Ala. in the late 1930""s. These fire ants have spread throughout the southern United States and are currently infesting over 310 million acres (Reference: U.S. Department of Agricultural Research Service, 9-21, 1999 xe2x80x9cRed Imported Fired Ants . . . still going: by Tar Weaver Missick). The imported fire ants are aggressive in nature, and annually destroy crops and wildlife costing hundreds of millions of dollars in damage. They are a stinging ant and cause hypersensitivity reactions as well as infections.
The second ant specie is the white-footed ant (technomyrmex albipes). The white-footed ant is a native of Japan, and was discovered in the United States in southeast Florida in 1990. The white-footed ant has spread and now has a confirmed population in seven Florida counties. This specie of ant is responsible for crop and landscape damage mainly because it protects and cares for crop destroying insects in order to harvest their honeydew. The white-footed ants reproduce at a much greater rate than all other species inhabiting the United States (Reference: University of Florida Department of Entomology and Nemotologyxe2x80x94xe2x80x98Pest Alertxe2x80x99, Aug. 19, 1998 xe2x80x9cWhite footed ant on the move in Floridaxe2x80x9d by Dr. Tweissling). The population in each of their colonies can exceed well over two million inhabitants.
In outdoor environments, ants primarily subsist on water and various foods. Thus, the current art employs both dry and liquid forms of attractants to bait the ants as they forage for water and food. The bait poisons the ants by ingestion or absorption, or entices the ants into a trap device, whereafter they are eliminated by various means.
Older examples of art include U.S. Pat. No. 1,372,780 to Schenke that discloses a bell shaped top having side apertures, the top fitting over and clamping to a dish shaped base. U.S. Pat. No. 2,123,995 to Harrom that discloses a flat piece of sheet metal bent over an insecticide to partially cover the substance while allowing insects direct access. U.S. Pat. No. 2,977,711 to Starr discloses a poison bait station for exterminating rodents that embodies a shield or housing and a base. U.S. Pat. No. 4,251,946 to Lindley discloses a trap for snails and slugs which includes a housing with pesticide disposed therein, the housing having multiple doorways to permit ready entry by the snails and slugs, which doorways are closable to permit easy disposal and shipment, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,563,836 to Woodruff discloses an insect feeding station comprised of a simple cover that fits over a base.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,097 to Rhodes discloses a poison dispenser that holds a poison in solid form for fire ants and other small insects. The dispenser includes a base adapted to be staked to the ground in an infested area, and a roof supported on the base by an upstanding tubular member. The roof extends down over the base almost to the ground to define a narrow space around the perimeter of the trap to enable ants and other insects to enter the enclosure. A quantity of poison bait is placed within the upstanding tubular member.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,573,278 to Schlesinger discloses a poison liquid container for eliminating ants. The poison liquid container includes a base having a wall, a wick and a cover. Openings are provided at the bottom of the wall so that ants may have access to the interior of the wall. The wick is disposed in a recess of the wall and extends above the base. Poison liquid is poured onto the wick so that the ants may feed thereon. The cover prevents spillage of the poison.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,229 to Demarest discloses a bait station for the control of insects, especially roaches, that has a reservoir portion for holding a liquid bait-toxicant formulation that fits into a base structure. The base structure has around its circumference a ramped structure that defines a central well area. Rising from the ramped structure are a plurality of support walls that both support the reservoir portion and define access openings to the central well area. The bait-toxicant formulation is controllably released from the reservoir into the central well area.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,548,922 to Wefler discloses an insect bait station for offering a liquid insect bait to targeted insects and a method of offering liquid insect bait to targeted insects. The insect bait station includes a hollow body having a base and a cover joined in liquid-tight relation. The base has a floor and the cover has a stage positioned generally parallel to and above the floor of the base. The cover has an ascending ramp that extends upwardly from the cover rim to a cover mount, and a descending ramp that extends downwardly from the cover mount to the stage. Interiorly facing surfaces of the floor and cover define a holding chamber wherein liquid insect bait may be confined. Spill-resistant access means provides a targeted insect located on the stage access to liquid insect bait confined within the holding chamber. Preferably, the spill-resistant access means includes a capillary liquid transport means for transporting the liquid insect bait upwardly from the floor of the base to a location where it is accessible to a targeted insect. The method includes the steps of providing an insect bait station made in accordance with the specification and placing it in a location frequented by the targeted insects.
In view of the foregoing, the prior and current art provide various means for eliminating ants in an outdoor environment. Current means generally consists of dry baits and liquid formulations that are either spread on the ground or placed in containers. Ants often ignore dry baits, due to fluctuations in temperature and humidity. Furthermore, dry baits often decompose under various environmental conditions. Liquid baits evaporate under various environmental conditions, resulting in increased toxicity of the liquid bait. The increased toxicity tends to kill worker ants before the worker ant can return to and feed its colony, thus greatly decreasing the overall effectiveness of the liquid bait. Decomposition of both dry and liquid bait also greatly reduces the efficacy of the bait.
It is desirable, therefore, to provide an effective elimination system for insects or other pests that lures and eradicates the intended pests via use of slow-acting, low toxic liquid bait. Further, it is desirable to provide such a system having continuous flow whereby a quantity of attractant or poison can be maintained without the frequent, burdensome refill of the same. Finally, such a system should provide adequate protection to the liquid contents thereof, while substantially prohibiting access to the liquids by those for whom and which it is not intended.
The present invention addresses the longstanding, but heretofore unresolved, issues noted in the prior and current art with a Liquid Gravity Feed Ant Elimination System (hereafter, LGFAES). The LGFAES provides a low-maintenance, weather resistant ant elimination system via a practical, safe mechanical liquid delivery platform designed for use with a low-toxic liquid attractant or poison. The LGFAES dispenses a controlled amount of low toxic liquid bait over an extensive period of time under outdoor weather conditions with greatly reduced liquid loss resulting from evaporation.
Preferably, the LGFAES includes reservoir, base, and a stabilizing device. It is contemplated that the reservoir receives and stores a predetermined amount of liquid attractant, poison, or a combination of the same. Preferably, the reservoir functions as, or cooperates with, a shield. The shield provides protection for the liquid contents from the elements, environmental conditions, and the like.
The base cooperates with the reservoir to receive a relatively small amount of liquid therefrom. The attractant portion of the liquid lures the ants toward the LGFAES, and to the liquid itself. Once the ants locate the liquid and ingest it, they carry it back to the colony and expose the colony to the toxin which substantially eliminates the colony in its entirety. Certain liquid toxins may be used in conjunction with the LGFAES for mass remote extermination of a colony of insects. For example, a single ant contacts the toxin in the LGFAES, carries the same back to its colony, and exposes the colony to the toxin, which substantially eliminates the colony in its entirety. The base also functions to prevent spillage and leakage outside the immediate area of the base. The reservoir, shield, and base serve to discourage access to the liquid contents by those for whom and which it is not intended; i.e., children, small pets, and the same.
The stabilizing device removably attaches to the base to facilitate secure positioning of the LGFAES in the ground. Alternatively, the stabilizing device forms an integral unit with the base of the LGFAES. Generally, the stabilizing device comprises a stake that tapers in a direction away from the base to facilitate easy insertion of the stake into the ground. Once inserted, the stake maintains the position of the LGFAES until removal from the ground. In various embodiments, the stake may be removed and reattached at will from the base of the LGFAES to accommodate various environments and terrains, subject to the requirement of the user.
The foregoing examples represent several embodiments of the present invention; however, a skilled artisan will recognize that the examples in no way limit the invention disclosed herein.